The Magic of Christmas
by AnneAquila
Summary: A fluffy Christmas fic before all the mess with Voldemort started: featuring a young Lily Evans, Petunia as a an okay-ish sister and a Snape cameo. After all, "One of the most glorious messes in the world is the mess created in the living room on Christmas Day. Don't clean it up too quickly." -Andy Rooney.


**A/N:** Hello my lovely readers! Christmas is a time for friends and family. Here's a little something to spread that Christmas cheer... Oh, and shout out to Tigger, my good friend who took the time to beta this fic. Thanks buddy!

* * *

 **The Magic of Christmas**

 _By AK_

* * *

 **School** : Beauxbatons

 **Year** : Second Year

 **Theme** : Christmas!

 **Prompt** : 9. Popcorn Strings (Object)

 **Word Count** : 1080 (sans A/Ns)

* * *

Lily had always been a rather odd child. Oh, she was nice and kind and fairly sociable. She was an Evans, a family of high repute, and she brought grace to their name.

However, she didn't have a single friend.

When her papa came to her school to collect her reports, the teachers would gush over her. While out on errands, the aunties in the neighborhood would pinch her cheeks and coo to her mum about how sweet she looked. When she went out to play with Petunia, the kids in the neighborhood would share their toys and smile at her earnestly.

But when she was alone and they thought they were out of earshot, they'd whisper that she had a strange air about her.

It hurt.

As the days went past, she felt sickened by their duplicity, saddened by their lies and embittered by their hate.

So, she stuck to her sister's side. It was fine for a while, but Lily could tell that Petunia was beginning to tire of her. Her parents watched, worried, as their happy-go-lucky daughter drew within herself. But there was little they could do.

Little, except wish for a Christmas miracle.

* * *

The choir was singing carols on the roads. Everything smelled like fruitcake. Christmas spirit was in the air.

In front of the warm hearth, Petunia and Lily sat facing each other, stringing up popcorn. Lily focused intensely on her task, taking care to thread her needle through the center of each kernel. Petunia had a much more casual approach, spearing each piece randomly. From time to time, when each thought the other didn't notice, they popped one of the kernels in their mouth.

After a while, Petunia paused.

"Okay," she said, "Out with it. What's gotten your knickers in a twist?"

Lily looked at her and asked hesitantly, "Petunia, am I a good kid?"

Her sister sighed. "Don't worry, you'll get your Christmas gifts—"

"No, really. Am I?"

Petunia looked at her, surprised. "Did you break something?" she asked, before her look turned to suspicion, "Did you sneak a bite of Santa's cookies?"

"No, no, nothing of the sort. It's just… I'm not… odd, am I?"

Now, Petunia may think of her sister as a nuisance and a bother and the worst thing that ever happened to her, but still. Lily was her sister. _Hers_. And no one, _no one_ got away with calling her sister names. Apart from herself, of course.

Because that's what sisters are for.

Her sister's brows furrowed. "Said who?"

Lily shook her head. "No one _says_ so, but… everyone thinks it."

Petunia's frown deepened. "Why would you say so?"

"Everyone acts nice around me, but they don't mean it."

Petunia snorted. And here she was, thinking it was something serious. She rolled her popcorn kernel between her fingers.

"That's not because of you," she said, "It's just human nature. People tend to do that to those who they aren't close with."

"And they aren't close to me?"

Petunia tilted her hand from side to side, balancing the kernel on her palm. "Not as much as they are with others."

"Then what do I do to get them to be close to me?"

By this time, Petunia lost interest in the conversation. "Nothing, I'm afraid."

"I just want everyone to like me. Is it too much to ask for?" grouched Lily.

Her sister chucked, tickled. "Everyone likes you well enough, Lily. But you know what you really need? A friend."

"But I have you."

Petunia rolled her eyes and said, "Yeah silly, but we're family. You need a proper friend. Like, a best friend."

Lily looked thoughtful. "Where do I get one?"

Petunia scoffed, "Ask Santa for one."

She finally threaded her kernel, signaling the end of their conversation.

* * *

The night before Christmas, her mother tucked her in. Lily knew better than to believe in her sister's nonchalant remark. She really did.

But still…

Petunia's voice rang in her ears: _Ask Santa for one._

With those words in mind, she snuck out of bed. She wrote a postscript in her letter to Santa.

* * *

The next morning, her heart thumping, she barreled her way to the hall. She hurriedly wished her parents 'Merry Christmas' and dragged a yawning Petunia to look at their presents.

Their parents chuckled, glad that their girl was back to her usual self.

Before Lily opened the door, she closed her eyes tight and hoped beyond hope that her hasty addition wasn't added too late, that Santa had enough time to work his Christmas magic.

She burst into the room and looked anxiously at the presents.

All of them were neatly boxed and wrapped, all square except from the oval box of sweets she'd received from her aunt. Lily's disappointment could be seen in her eyes, but only for a moment. She wasn't sure what she'd expected.

A vaguely humanoid lump wrapped up in gift paper? As if that would happen. She berated herself for believing in such childish, such foolish… Oh dear God, she was about to cry. But she didn't. Because her parents were there, anxiously waiting towards the side to see if their carefully chosen gifts would bring joy to their little girls.

And Lily… Lily would be satisfied with that. She would.

She perked up and hugged her parents, squealing at how many presents they received that year! She had a little competition with Petunia over who had received more presents. Petunia won, of course. She had a few friends downtown who thought well enough of her to exchange gifts. Lily knew this even before they started. It sent a pang through her anyways.

She quietly cried herself to sleep that night.

* * *

You might have thought that her wish wasn't granted.

If you had, you would've thought wrong.

Because Lilly Evans really was a good girl. Because Lily Evans really did need a friend. And because Santa really does need some time to fulfill wishes, this being especially true in the case of postscripts hastily added on Christmas Eve.

In her Christmas letter to Santa, Lily Potter had asked for a friend. A true friend, someone who would always be faithful to her. Someone who, come what may, stayed by her side.

Her wish was granted a few weeks later as she was making flowers bloom to amuse her sister.

She met Severus Snape for the first time.

And he was the best friend the nine-year-old girl could have hoped for.

* * *

 **A/N** : I'm submitting this story for the The International Wizarding School Championship's practice round. Check it out if you can. And keep an eye out for more submissions every other week! Reads, reviews and keyboard smashes are not only welcome, they make my day.


End file.
